Having been led by the Spirit of God to repent of our sins and place our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and having been baptized upon our profession of faith in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we do now, before God and each other, enter into covenant as one body in Christ.

Because we are one in Christ, we will be eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit.1 Putting aside pride and considering others more important than ourselves,2 we will gladly submit to one another3 and constantly pursue unity in our beliefs and practices.4

Since Christ loved us and gave His life for us, we will lay down our lives for one another.5We will rejoice when others rejoice, and weep when others weep.6 We will affectionately care for and watch over one another,7 knowing that without love we are nothing.8

Because we are members of one another in the body of Christ, we will actively use our spiritual gifts for the common good.9 We will not neglect meeting together, but will regularly participate in worship, prayer, study, fellowship, and the ordinances of baptism and communion.10

Since Christ, though he was rich, became poor for our sake,11we too will give sacrificially and cheerfully to the support of this church, the relief of the poor, the care of orphans and widows, and the spread of the gospel to all nations.12We will dedicate ourselves, our money, our time, and our resources to the cause of Christ as faithful stewards,13 carefully avoiding all forms of greed.14

Since Jesus loved the lost,15befriended them,16and invited them to come to Him,17we will follow His example, and obey His command to go and make disciples of all nations.18 We will speak the gospel to our family, friends, and acquaintances,19praying for them20and imploring them to be reconciled to God.21

Because of GodÃ­s mercies, we present our bodies to Him as a living sacrifice. We will not be conformed to this world, but will be transformed by the renewal of our minds.22Knowing the deceitfulness of sin,23we will be quick to repent and make every effort to put to death the sin in our lives.24Desiring to be above reproach in everything we do,25we will be honest in all of our dealings with others,26doing justice, loving mercy, and walking humbly with our God.27

Because the Lord disciplines those He loves,28we want our life together to reflect His loving discipline and correction.29We will pray for one another,30teach and admonish one another,31and submit ourselves to the discipline of the church.32Always aiming for restoration, we will strive to be gentle,33tender-hearted, and quick to forgive34in our practice of correction and discipline.35

Because we have not entered into this covenant with one another lightly, we will not set it aside lightly.36As members submitted to the leaders of our church,37we will prayerfully seek counsel from them before making a decision to leave.38We will, when we move from this place, unite with another true church as soon as possible.39

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.40

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1. Eph. 4:3

2. Phil. 2:3-4

3. Eph. 5:21

4. Eph. 4:13

5. 1 John 3:16

6. Rom. 12:15

7. Phil. 2:1-2; Heb. 13:17

8. 1 Cor. 13:2

9. Rom. 12:5-8; 1 Cor. 12:7

10. Heb. 10:24-25

11. 2 Cor. 8:9

12. 2 Cor. 9:6-7; 8:1-7; James 1:27

13. Matt. 25:14-30

14. Luke 12:15

15. Mark 10:21; Matt. 23:37; John 3:16

16. Luke 5:30-32; 15:1-2; 7:36-50

17. John 7:37; Matt. 11:28

18. Matt. 28:18-20

19. Rom. 1:16

20. 1 Tim. 2:1

21. 2 Cor 5:18-21

22. Rom. 12:1-2

23. Heb. 3:13

24. Rom. 8:13; 1 John 1:9; James 5:16

25. Phil. 2:14-15; 1 Pet. 3:15-16

26. Eph. 4:25: James 5:12

27. Micah 6:8

28. Heb. 12:6; Rev. 3:19

29. Prov. 12:1; 15:31-32

30. Eph. 6:18

31. Col. 3:16

32. Matt. 18:15-17

33. 2 Cor. 13:11; Gal. 6:1

34. Eph. 4:32

35. Prov. 27:5-6

36. Psalm 15:4c

37. Heb. 13:17

38. Prov. 11:14; 18:1

39. Heb. 10:24-25

40. Eph. 3:20

Last Updated ( Wednesday, 15 December 2010 )

User Comments

William, I didn't realize you were a 9marks church! I met Dever in Istanbul years ago as his church is a partner with the work in Central Asia. I read through your rough draft of the new church covenant and loved it. It is easy to read and biblical on all points. When a group of people agree to take their covenant seriously and the covenant is grounded on the word of God, great things are in store for them. May the Lord bless you all as you move forward.